“Tufa, Stormy Sky” — Tufa formation in pre-sunrise light, backed by dark clouds above the Sierra Nevada.
The light on this scene was a surprise. I had left my campsite high in the Sierra Nevada while it was still dark, arriving at the shore of Mono Lake well before sunrise. For a moment I was the only person there before others began arriving. There were lot of clouds — which can be a blessing or a curse for sunrise photography, depending on where they are and whether there are breaks in the right directions. I expected to arrive at this formation in fairly dismal light, then go look for compositions and set up for sunrise.
If my memory is correct (no guarantees!) we were out for a walk in Bath — probably looking for something to eat — when I saw these remarkable weathered doors across the street. Their purpose remained a mystery to me — the doors were closed and there were no signs. It is hard to say if they are even still in use. But the distressed surfaces of the wooden doors got my attention, along with the odd set of colors — pink, virtually blood red, and black.
“Evening Forest and Hill” — Early evening light streams between forest trees on a Sierra Nevada hill.
I have long been a sucker for backlight. I’m attracted to the glow of light coming straight at me, and I’m intrigued by the dark shadowed sides of objects and by the beams of light that lead toward the camera. Put a forest full of trees in front of me in that light and I cannot resist.
“Cotswolds Forest Clearing” — A break in the trees lets sunshine into a clearing in a Cotswolds forest.
During spring the woodlands and fields and pastures of the Cotswolds are very bright and green… if it isn’t raining. Of course, it is the rain produces all of that green. We had our share of sunny days, but we also experienced the rain — generally light and transitory, but a bit more substantial on the final day of our weeklong walk. This scene was midway through the walk, where the path crossed green hill, the trees opened up a bit, and the sun shone in.